FEATURES
07 Project Profile
Envisioned as a place where the broader learning
environment comes to life, the Queen’s Centre in
Kingston, Ont., integrates academics, sport and
recreation and student community activities.

30 Enterprising Canadians
Stantec’s new president and CEO, Robert Gomes,
is a natural choice to lead one of North America’s
largest engineering, architecture and design firms
into the next era.

Building Strategies is published five times
a year by MediaEdge Communications Inc.
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For all subscription inquiries or
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Copyright 2009.
Canada Post Canadian Publications
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INDUSTRY FOCUS

DEPARTMENTS

18

Infrastructure
Durham Consolidated Courthouse
Rebuilding Ontario

06 Editor’s Note
More than Meets the Eye

22

Green Building
Greener Pastures
Designing for Adaptability

24

Insurance & Bonding
Why Bond?
Builders Risk Insurance

27

Concrete
Self-Consolidating Concrete
Putting Rainwater back where it Belongs

On the Cover: The Durham Consolidated Courthouse touts a number of firsts for the province of Ontario.
Photo courtesy WZMH Architects.

May 2009 5

editor's note

More
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6 Building Strategies

When people ask what I do for a living, most are surprised to hear I write and
edit a construction and infrastructure magazine. Why? Because many people
have a preconceived notion the industry is not particularly interesting. However,
having spent nearly three years covering the industry I can safely say it’s not only
one of the most fascinating but diverse and complex sectors — one that I have
grown to appreciate. Today, I look at buildings in a completely different light. A
hospital is not just a static institution where the sick and injured are treated. A
courthouse is more than a concrete structure wherein justice is administered.
Rather, these buildings are works of art comprised of a variety of different parts.
And just like a magazine — which few people see behind the scenes — they
require a collective effort to complete.
As I step into the role of editor-in-chief of Building Strategies, I want to
thank my coworkers, particularly publisher Paul Murphy, for making the
move a smooth transition. Under his direction the magazine has become a
well respected industry source. Going forward, I plan to build on this
success by bringing my experience, skills and knowledge to the publication
team.
With the May issue being my first you will notice a few changes. In
addition to the magazine’s revamped aesthetic, we have introduced a new
feature and industry focus — Enterprising Canadians and Infrastructure,
respectively.
In this issue, we chat with Stantec’s incoming president and CEO,
Robert Gomes. Whether he’s been in a managing role leading a team or
on the practice side working with clients, Gomes has been successful at
every level of North America’s largest engineering, architecture and design
firm during his 20 years of service. Turn to page 30 to read all about this
“enterprising Canadian.”
But before you do you can read about our infrastructure project — the
Durham Consolidated Courthouse. Pictured on the cover, the P3 project
consolidates two court systems and services currently provided in eight
locations under one roof, making the Ontario justice system more
transparent and efficient — literally. Designed to obtain LEED-NC silver
standards and meet a LEED-EB gold rating, the courthouse will be the
largest judicial complex in the province upon completion in late 2009. You
can read about it beginning on page 18.
Rounding out my inaugural issue is our project profile, the Queen’s
Centre, and our regular “corners” — legal, environment and engineering.
Additionally, we look at construction bonding and insurance, concrete and
green building, the latter of which is not only an industry focus but a
common theme that runs throughout the magazine.
We hope you enjoy the latest edition of Building Strategies as much as we
enjoyed piecing it together. Please feel free to e-mail me any news, story ideas
or even feedback.
Clare Tattersall
Editor-in-Chief

Project profile

A Home Fit
for a Queen

By Clare Tattersall

S

School is out for most students at Queen’s
University. And yet, while the corridors are
empty and classrooms quiet, the campus is
still abuzz with activity.
Heading into the homestretch, crews are
busy wrapping up the Queen’s Centre, a
large portion of which is slated to open its
doors to users this fall.
“It is going to vastly improve student
life,” says Ann Browne, associate viceprincipal, facilities, about the $169-million
multi-purpose complex, which will house
athletic, recreation, academic and student
life facilities.
Located in Kingston, Ont., the university’s
athletic and recreation facilities have not
been upgraded since the ‘70s even though
the student population has almost tripled in
the last four decades.

“Nowadays, with the ‘out of classroom’
experience considered as or even more
important than the ‘in classroom experience,’
it is important that Queen’s improves its
inadequate student life to attract the finest
students and faculty,” comments Browne.
Comm it ted to c reat ing a broader
learning environment, Queen’s retained
Boston-based architectural firm, Sasaki
Associates, in 2002, to come up with a
concept plan for the new facility. Joined
by Bregman + Hamann Architects of
Toronto and local firm, Shoalts & Zaback
Architects, in 2004, construction began
two years ago with site preparations.
Led by construction manager PCL
Constructors Canada Inc., Restoration
Env i ron ment a l C ont r ac tor s (R EC)
Demolition was responsible for asbestos
May 2009 7

Project profile

abatement and demolishing the Jock Harty
Arena to make way for construction of the
aquatic centre, fitness and weight centre,
gymnasium with room for 2,000 spectators
and new home for the School of Kinesiology
and Health Studies (formerly the School of
Physical and Health Education), which is
scheduled to open in January 2010.
“We actually maintained the stone from
the arena and are using it for the façade of
the school,” says Browne who, along with
Q ueen’s, is a st rong proponent of
sustainability.
In fact, it is a mandate of the university to
construct every building to a minimum of 18
LEED points. The Queen’s Centre has been
designed to a LEED certified level (between
26 and 32 points); however, Browne is
hopeful it will attain a higher rating.
Assisting in this endeavour is REC
Demolition. The contractor not only
salvaged significant amounts of limestone
but used a 350-tonne crane to carefully

remove the steel roof joists from the Jock
Harty Arena (to be used for scrap metal
recycling). This was no easy feat considering
the tight site constraints.
“The university is right in the middle of
residential housing, so it’s hard enough
getting trucks in and out let alone cranes,”
comments Browne.
Other project cha l lenges inc luded
dismantling and removing 24 houses,
preserving nine heritage homes on the
Queen’s Centre site during extensive rock
bl a st i n g, m i n i m i z i n g d isr upt ion to
students and local residents, securing
skilled subtrades at a time of unprecedented
construction activity in Kingston, Ont.,
and combatting the ever-increasing cost
of construction materials.
To prevent the budget from ballooning,
Queen’s changed the project deliver y
met hod in December 2 0 0 6, f rom a
stipu lated bid to a constr uction
management contract. However, the

universit y has since rever ted to the
original agreement.
“The school thought it could save money
by going the construction management route
but because the market was so volatile it
didn’t help much.”
As a result, the university had to get
creative with cost-saving measures.
“We looked at every single element of
this project — from the hardware to the
height of the doors — to find ways to save
money,” she says, adding the school
successfully reduced the inf lated budget
by an astounding $26 million.
How?
By opting to use less costly materials and
installation methods; for instance, the project
team substituted polished and stained decorative
concrete topping with thinset applied decorative
porcelain tiles in some areas and used Galvalume
instead of zinc in others.
Also, “One of the buildings is clad in a
new resin plastic based panelling system that

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Project profile

looks like warm wood siding,” says Bill
Nankivell of Bregman + Hamann, the
architect of record.
To be completed on time and close to
budget, the final design of the Queen’s
Centre is the result of three rounds of
consultation during which the public
requested it fit with the character of the
surrounding community.
In response, the architectural team
proffered to reduce the massing of the
facility and break it down into smaller
components — each having a slightly
different character — to respect and
complement the nearby residential area.
“This creates a feeling of a series of
buildings even though it is one large
interrelated facility,” explains Nankivell.
Connecting the different buildings is a
large, indoor public space. Dubbed the
‘crossroads,’ this space also ser ves to
anchor the school, uniting the t wo
campus districts, and creates a meeting

space around which ever y thing
circulates.
“It has glass at all four ends … so it’s
flooded with daylight, creating an open feel
with views of the streets,” he says.
Inside, the Queen’s Centre contains food
space, a 38 by 25-metre pool with seating for
150 spectators, three gymnasiums (with the
main gym able to accommodate 2,000
spectators), a fitness and weight centre,
which includes cardio-fitness equipment,
weights and strength training equipment, as
well as eight squash courts and t wo
racquetball courts.
Envisioned as a place to develop the
whole student — mind, body and spirit
— original plans for the Queen’s Centre
made it the la rgest project in siz e,
duration and dollar value ever undertaken
by the universit y. Initially slated for
completion in 2014, future phases of the
Queen’s Centre have been put on hold
pending funding availability.

Queen's University will be transformed with the opening of the
Queen's Centre in fall 2009. Located behind the John Deutsch
University Centre, the multi-purpose complex integrates academics,
sport and recreation and student community activities.

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Legal File

Lienable
Off-Site Supply
By Soizic Reynal de St Michel

S

Subsection 14(1) of the Construction Lien Act
creates “a lien upon the interest of the owner in
the premises improved” for “a person who
supplies services or materials to an improvement
for an owner, contractor or subcontractor.”
Since the supply of services and materials to
an improvement gives rise to lien rights attached
to the premises improved, it is logical to expect
these services and materials are supplied on the
actual site where the construction takes place. In
some circumstances, however, courts have
stretched the limits of the construction site to
the point where services supplied off-site may
give rise to lien rights.
A little more than 10 years ago, the
Ontario divisional court clearly stated (for
the first time) a claimant can have a lien
for services performed off a project site.
I n Be nny Haulage Ltd . v. C a rosi
Construction Ltd., the contractor, Carosi,
entered into a contract with the HamiltonWent worth Catholic Separate School
Board for the construction of a new school.
Carosi also entered into two agreements
with Benny Haulage; the first for the
excavation of the site and the second for
the haulage and disposal of the excavated
material off-site.
Carosi wanted to avoid the cost of
d isposing of t he f i l l and made t he
excavated fill available to anyone who

12 Building Strategies

period prior to the registration of the lien. It was
therefore critical to determine whether the offsite work could give rise to lien rights.
The court considered two essential factors in
concluding Benny Haulage was entitled to lien
rights for the services supplied off-site. First, the
prime contract required Carosi to remove all
excavated material from the site and dispose of
it. Second, Carosi knew Benny Haulage had to
level and compact the soil as a condition of
dumping it at the landfill site; in other words, it
was a “package.”
The court held that off-site work can give rise
to lien rights if the claimant shows the work
“physically contributed in a direct and essential
way to the construction of an improvement on
the site and comes within the definition of
‘supply of services’ and ‘in respect of’ as defined
in Sec. 1(1) of the Act.”
The Ontario courts had the opportunity to
consider the issue of off-site work two years later
in Desourdy 1949 Paving Inc. v. Teperman and
Sons Inc. (2000). In that case, the subcontractor,

A little more than 10 years ago, the
Ontario divisional court clearly stated a
claimant can have a lien for services
performed off a project site.
needed it. The contractor could not get rid
of the fill and subcontracted with Benny
Haulage to supply dump trucks and
operators for the removal of the excavated
fill from the construction site. The dump
site where the fill was disposed required
Benny Haulage to place a bulldozer on the
landfill and spread the fill.
One of the issues in the case was whether
Benny Haulage had a valid lien.
According to Sec. 1 of the Construction
Lien Act, supply of services refers to “any
work done or service performed upon or in
respect of an improvement.”
The last supply of services (loading trucks
with the fill) on-site occurred more than 45 days
prior to the registration of the lien by Benny
Haulage, which meant Benny Haulage did not
have a valid lien; that is, unless the definition of
“supply” encompassed off-site work done at the
landfill, which occurred within the 45 day

Desourdy, was required to crush concrete
rubbish from the construction site so it could
remove the rebar and then dispose of both.
Desourdy did not haul the rubbish from the site
and performed the work entirely off-site. The
court applied the “direct and essential” test from
Benny Haulage and found Desourdy’s work was
a lienable supply because it was part of the scope
of work in the prime contract.
Where will the court set the limits of the
application of the test in Benny Haulage?
Consider this: If the company that made its
landfill site available to Benny Haulage was not
paid, would the company have lien rights on the
project site?
There is no doubt the answer would be
no.
Soizic Reynal de St Michel is an associate at Glaholt
LLP, a leading construction litigation boutique firm.
Contact her at sr@glaholt.com.

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Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs are a class of
chemicals characterized by two phenyl groups
with varying numbers of chlorine atoms. In
general, the higher the chlorination of the
molecule and mixtures, the longer PCBs
remain in the environment and more likely they
will infiltrate the food chain.
Prior to the 1970s, PCBs were used in
hundreds of industrial and commercial
applications, including electrical, heat transfer
and hydraulic equipment, as well as plasticizers
in paints, plastics and rubber products and in
pigments, dyes and carbonless copy paper.
More than 1.5 billion pounds of PCBs were
manufactured in the U.S. prior to cessation of
production in 1977.
Since 1977, the Canadian government has
adopted a number of regulations to control the
different activities related to PCBs, including
Chlorobiphenyls Regulations (1977), Federal
Mobile PCB Treatment and Destruction
Regulations (1990), storage of PCB Material
Regulations (1988), PCB waste Export
Regulations (1996) and Export and Import of
Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable
Material Regulation (2005).
On Sept. 17, 2008, Environment Canada
published the PCB Regulations in Part 2 of the
Canada Gazette, which publishes all laws and
orders in council issued by the federal
government. The new regulation consolidates,
revokes and replaces the Chlorobiphenyls
Regulations and the Storage of PCB Material
Regulations. The requirements of this new

regulation, together with the more stringent
release limits, will further reduce releases of
PCBs into the environment.
The new regulation is designed to implement
Canada’s national and international
commitments on the use (including exports and
imports), storage and elimination of PCBs. It
sets specific deadlines for the elimination of all
PCBs and PCB-containing material currently
in storage. Additionally, it limits the period of
time PCBs can be stored before being destroyed
and requires all PCB equipment to be phased
out. The labelling and reporting requirements of
this regulation also provides necessary
information to monitor progress towards end of
use targets.
The significant requirements of the regulation
are divided into three parts.
End of Use Deadlines
Equipment containing more than 500 parts per
million (µg/g) PCBs must be removed from
service by Dec. 31, 2009. An extension up to
Dec. 31, 2014, may be granted by the Minister
of the Environment if application is made and
certain conditions met.
Equipment with concentration of PCBs
between 50 and 500 µg/g and located in
sensitive areas must be removed by Dec. 31,
2009. Sensitive locations include drinking water
treatment plants, food or feed processing plants,
child care facilities, preschools, primary schools,
secondary schools, hospitals, senior citizens’
care facilities and the property on which the

Effective one year after the date these
regulations come into force (Dec. 31,
2010), PCBs cannot be stored at or
within 100 metres of a sensitive site.
14 Building Strategies

plant or facility is located and within 100 metres
of it. All others have until Dec. 31, 2025.
Specific equipment, such as light ballasts,
pole-top electrical transformers and pole-top
auxiliary electrical equipment, has until Dec.
31, 2025.
Storage Requirements
PCBs currently in storage have to be removed
and sent for destruction by Dec. 31, 2009.
Effective one year after the date these
regulations come into force (Dec. 31, 2010),
PCBs cannot be stored at or within 100 metres
of a sensitive site. Light ballasts are exempted.
PCBs that go into a storage site after the
regulation comes into force may stay in storage
for a maximum of one year.
PCBs stored at or within 100 metres of a
sensitive site must be eliminated within one year
of the regulation coming into force.
Labelling, Reports and Records
PCB owners must prepare annual reports
outlining quantities in use and stored as well as
progress towards achieving end of use targets.
Additionally, PCB owners must label all
known PCB items, including PCB cables and
decontaminated transformers. Ballasts are
exempted. The owner’s name as well as the date
the material was placed in storage must be
clearly visible.
The regulations also establish sound
management practices for the remaining PCBs
in use (those with content of less than 50 µg/g)
— until their eventual elimination — to prevent
contamination of fluids and dispersion of small
quantities of PCBs into other liquids.
It is expected the deadlines for ending the use
and storage of PCBs will result in the removal
of 90 per cent of PCBs still in use and 100 per
cent of PCBs currently in storage by the end of
the year. The remaining PCBs, comprising
equipment in use containing low level
concentrations of PCBs (for example, less than
500 µg/g), will be eliminated by 2025.
Camille Atrache is chief operating officer
and partner at Tri-Phase Environmental Inc.
C o n t a c t C ami l l e a t 9 0 5 . 8 2 3 .7 9 6 5 o r
catrache@pcbdisposal.com.

engineering forum

Going
beyond Green
Healthy building tenets for tenants

By Hart Starr Crawford & Ken Newbert

A

A truly healthy building is one that carefully
balances its environmental performance with
providing healthy and comfortable space within
its walls.
In recent years, the green building industry
has seen dramatic growth fueled by increased
public awareness of the impact of carbon
emissions, more government incentives and
improvement in sustainable materials and
practices. Now more than ever before, there
is great focus on improv ing energ y
performance in buildings, which has the
potential to shift this balance away from the
quality of the indoor environment.
In response to the 1973 oil embargo,
buildings designed with increased energy
performance contributed to the development
of sick building syndrome — a combination of
ailments occupants of a building experience
that appear to be linked to time spent in the
structure. Sick building syndrome is also
related to an increase in the use of synthetic
building materials and an improvement in the
sealing of envelope constructions. These
factors have led to a decrease in the quality of
air breathed by occupants.
Air quality is an important factor in a healthy
building but for a building to provide the
ultimate indoor environment, the visual,
thermal and acoustical performance must also
be considered.
Ideally, direct views to the outside provide a
physiological connection to the outdoors as well
as natural daylight. In the case where this is not
desirable or possible, carefully designed lighting
can ensure comfort. Important aspects to
consider include colour, degree of flicker, glare
and contrast.
Traditionally, thermal comfort has been
considered the result of the temperature and
humidity of the air inside a building. It is now
evident thermal comfort is a blend of the
radiative, convective and evaporative forces in
a space. Radiant energy is the transmission of
heat from one source, such as the sun or a
campfire, to another (for example, people) in a
direct line of sight. Convective and evaporative
forces tie into how air passes over the body.
Cooling from wind and sweat are good
examples of these forces at work. By considering
all forces, a resultant temperate can be
calculated that better represents thermal
comfort of an occupant.

16 Building Strategies

Radiant non-symmetry.

External solar shading reducing radiant non-symmetry.

It is also important to minimize radiant nonsymmetry, which occurs when a surface on one
side of a person is much warmer than another.
This is especially apparent when sitting next to
a campfire on a cool night. Often, a person will
have a warm face but a cold back.
Radiant non-symmetry frequently occurs
when sunlight shines directly into a space,
overheating the window and floor on which
it shines. This can easily be addressed by
using external shading to block out the sun
during peak cooling demand. Radiant nonsymmetry of an opaque external surface may
occur with extreme outdoor air temperatures
but can be mitigated easily by adding
additional insulation.
To maintain the acoustical performance of a
building, excess noise must be minimized from
sources within the building as well as from the
exterior. A well-designed envelope will easily
take care of the exterior noises. Mechanical

equipment should have vibration isolation
and duct acoustical lining. Acoustical
treatments can also be added to rooms to
minimize internal noise. However, a small
amount of white noise often contributes to a
more comfortable space, acting similarly to
the murmur of a waterfall.
Green buildings currently enjoy a broad
definition. Everything from a standard
building with a new coat of low-VOC (volatile
organic compound) paint and low-f low
aerators to net-zero water and energy buildings
share this title. For this reason, it cannot be
assumed that all buildings labelled “green” will
have a better or even equal indoor environment
compared to a standard building.
To validate a green building claim, rating
systems have become increasingly popular
with the most common being the Canadian
Green Building Council’s Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
In this rating system, one of the main credit
categories is dedicated to the indoor
environment. Most rating systems in use
today address the health and comfort of the
building in some way.
When addressing the indoor environment,
LEED has credits associated with visual
performance, thermal comfort and air quality.
However, prerequisites only address minimum
outdoor air volumes and smoking; acoustical
factors are not considered. So, for buildings to
be certified “green” by a rating system, such as
LEED, it is not mandatory to address all aspects
of occupant comfort.
In the end, green building and healthy
buildings are different but complementary. As
demonstrated by its inclusion in most green
rating systems, designing for a healthy indoor
environment plays a part in producing a green
building. But it is not mandatory.
Hart Starr Crawford, EIT, LEED AP, is a sustainable
designer with Cobalt Engineering, a leading
mechanical and engineering firm dedicated to
engineering ideas beyond sustainability. Ken
Newbert, P.Eng., LEED AP, is a founding partner of
the firm. He designed the first C2000 project
in Western Canada (pre-LEED) and one of the
countr y ’s first 10 0 per cent naturally
ventilated office buildings. Contact Hart at
hstarrcrawford@cobaltengineering.com or Ken at
knewbert@cobaltengineering.com.

Feature

Improving
the Administration
of Justice

By Clare Tattersall

18 Building Strategies

M

More than 15 years in the making and two
years under construction, Ontario’s newest and
most modern court will soon begin to mete out
justice. Totalling 350,000 square feet, the
Durham Consolidated Courthouse brings two
court systems, the Superior Court and Ontario
Court, as well as justice services currently
provided in eight locations across the Durham
region under one roof — making it the largest
judicial complex in the province.
Located in downtown Oshawa, the
$334-million integrated facility touts a number
of other firsts. Comprised of 33 courtrooms,
three motion rooms, two conference/settlement
rooms and related legal and court services, the
state-of-the-art structure will be the most
technologically advanced courthouse in the
province. It will also be the first Ontario
government building to receive LEED-NC
(New Construction) silver certification and a
LEED-EB (Existing Buildings) gold rating.

“It will set a precedent within the province
and nationally,” says Peter Wilson, vicepresident of project delivery for Infrastructure
Ontario, a crown corporation responsible for
the transaction management of the project
under the province’s alternative financing and
procurement program.
“Compared to other courthouses built in the
last 10 years, it’s going to achieve significant
improvements in energy performance.”
In fact, when the building opens in early
2010, Access Justice Durham — a consortium
of companies including WZMH Architects,
PCL Constructors Canada Inc., Babcock &
Brown Infrastructure Group and Johnson
Controls LP chosen to design, build, finance
and maintain the courthouse, respectively —
has agreed to reduce energy consumption by 42
per cent (compared with similar, existing leased
facilities). If energy use exceeds this target,
Access Justice Durham must pick up the tab

infrastructure

Photos courtesy WZMH Architects

over the length of the 30-year contractual
service period.
“The energy performance targets are quite
aggressive,” notes Wilson, adding the
courthouse will also be certified (and recertified
every three years) under the BOMA BESt
program, a tool used to measure the
environmental performance of existing
commercial buildings.
Harmonizing the best practices of BOMA
(Building O w ners and Managers
Association) Canada’s Go Green program
and the online assessment of Go Green Plus,
BOMA BESt (Building Environmental
Standards) was launched in October 2008 as
an updated and simplified certification
program. It includes four possible levels of
certification, each of which provides ways to
make buildings more environmentally
friendly and cut operating costs. To be
certified, existing structures must fully

comply with BOMA’s Best Practices. Areas
addressed include energ y and water
management, emissions and effluents, waste
reduction, the indoor environment and
environmental management systems.
“This (program) offers us the ability to
benchmark this building against other
BOMA certif ied buildings within the
province,” says Wilson.
With an emphasis on energ y
management and conservation, notable
“green” features incorporated into the
building’s design include high-efficiency
boilers and chillers, a partial sodded roof
with drought tolerant plants to reduce
storm water runoff, cistern for rainwater
collection to irrigate local landscaping,
computerized lighting control system
capable of turning on and off lights, ultra
low-f low plumbing fixtures, dual f lush
toilets and waterless urinals.

The design-build contractor, PCL, has
also agreed to divert 75 per cent of
construction waste from landfills to be
salvaged, recycled and reused.
“The way things are going we’re probably
going to exceed that,” notes construction
manager Don Gilliland.
Beginning in June 2007, construction of the
six-storey (plus mechanical penthouse)
courthouse with below-grade parking has
moved along at a rapid pace. Today, roughly six
months out from entire completion, the longawaited project is 80 per cent complete.
“Everyone is working hard to make sure this
is a successful project,” says Gilliland about the
400 workers currently on-site.
But while morale is high, the project hasn’t
been without its challenges.
Prior to the official groundbreaking, the project team had to submit a design proposal that
met the functional requirements needed to
May 2009 19

infrastructure

accommodate the advanced technology and
expanded services the courthouse will provide.
This includes five courtrooms outfitted for
video conferencing, two remote video testimony rooms to accommodate vulnerable and
child witnesses, a jury room permanently
equipped with simultaneous translation and
three portable translation booths.
“It’s a technologically complex building,” says
Gilliland.
Another challenge was maintaining the
cardinal rule in courthouse design. There
must be three separate and distinct
circulation systems for the public, accused
and judiciary, each with its own respective
entrance, set of stairs, elevators, corridors
and fire exits. The only time the three

groups can meet is in the courtroom.
And because courtrooms have higher height
requirements than office towers, there are
several different floor-to-floor elevations that
occur throughout the building.
“The courthouse is called a six-floor building
but the overall height is probably equal to an
18-floor apartment building,” explains Gilliland.
“Normally, an apartment building is three
metres from floor-to-floor but there are areas in
the courthouse that are seven metres floor-tofloor or more.”
One area is the double height public lobby.
Outfitted with terrazzo floors, natural wood
doors and soaring glass walls, the atrium
allows natural light to penetrate the interior
of the courthouse.

“It gives the perception of openness,” says
Hady Lofty of WZMH Architects about
the large indoor public space, which was
designed to mimic the transparency of the
criminal justice system.
It also makes the building appear less
formidable and more approachable to both
users and passersby thereby improving access
to justice — one of the project’s mandates.
On time and within budget, the Durham
Consolidated Courthouse will not only meet
the needs of the growing community, which,
over the next 20 years, is forecasted to have
one of Ontario’s highest rates of population
and caseload growth, but spur economic
growth in the region.
This is one of the reasons the City of
Oshawa bid on the P3 (public-private
partnership) project.
“We’ve been pursuing the courthouse since
(former) Premier Bob Rae announced it,” notes
Tom Hodgins, commissioner of development
services, City of Oshawa.
“It’s instrumental in achieving our plan for
the redevelopment and revitalization of the
downtown core.”
A great example of partnership —
governments working together for the benefit of
the community and each other — the Province
selected Oshawa as the willing host community
in December 2005.
“The team put together a very compelling
argument for why the courthouse should be
here,” says Hodgins.
This included building on a remediated
brownfield site located on a major transit
route.

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For more information visit www.bomabest.com
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613 232 1875

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1

BOMA Toronto

www.bomatoronto.org
info@bomatoronto.org
416 596 8065

4/16/2009, 8:05 AM

Rebuilding
Ontario
C

infrastructure

By M. Saeed Mirza & Christian Sipos
Canada’s infrastructure is in an extremely dire
state. In May 2000, E-coli contamination of
water in Walkerton, Ont., caused seven deaths
and 2,500 cases of illness. This disaster alone
cost approximately $64.5 million and another
$90.5 million in related human suffering.
That same year, an overpass collapsed during
construction in Laval, Que., causing one death
and two injuries. In 2006, another overpass in
Laval — this one in operation for roughly 35
years — collapsed, dramatically killing five and
seriously injuring six. A public inquiry was
launched to determine the cause of failure. The
inquiry’s recommendations led to the
examination of several deficient and deteriorated
overpasses in Quebec, with the provincial
government deciding to invest heavily in
transportation infrastructure.
Age and Condition
Extensive infrastructure facilities, including
highways, roads, bridges and overpasses, were
constructed between 1962 and the mid-70s.
However, during the next 25 years,
infrastructure spending and government
investment in maintenance, repair and
rehabilitation of existing assets decreased
considerably. Consequently, there was a
significant continuing increase in the average
age of Canada’s infrastructure, resulting in an
increase in the rate and extent of deterioration.
In 2003, the Civil Infrastructure Systems
Technolog y Road Map presented a
comprehensive 10-year plan of new and
innovative ways to significantly improve the
maintenance and rehabilitation of Canada’s
deteriorating infrastructure. At that time,
the study noted 31 per cent of the country’s
infrastructure was between 40 and 80-yearsold, with another 28 per cent more than 80
years old.
Excellent quality control during the design
and construction phases and subsequent
preventive and regular maintenance can prevent
and significantly impede the deterioration rate.
However, if quality control standards are not
stringently applied and regular maintenance is
overlooked or deferred, onset of deterioration
can occur earlier resulting in considerably higher
repair and rehabilitation costs. With continued
absence of these actions, the rate of deterioration
will accelerate considerably with associated
exorbitant costs. In some cases, it may not be
possible to salvage the system. Rather, it will
have to be decommissioned, demolished,
disposed and then replaced at many times the

monetary, socio-economic and environmental
cost of the original asset.
Associated Costs of Deterioration
In 2007, the Federation of Canadian
Municipalities (FCM) estimated it would cost
$123.6 billion to upgrade Canada’s municipal
infrastructure to an acceptable level, with
another $115.2 billion required to build new
infrastructure to fulfill the changing needs of
communities. The survey established the total
deficit for all infrastructure assets in Canada
could easily range between $350 and $400
billion. Based on population, Ontario’s share
would amount to approximately one-third or
$130 to $140 billion.
According to a report by the Residential and
Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario, no
large infrastructure investments have been
made in Ontario since the late 1950s. As a
result, much of the province’s infrastructure is
rapidly approaching the end of its service life.
In 2006, the Ontario government announced
a five-year, $30-billion plan for infrastructure
investment and has provided consistent
funding in its annual budgets to address the
following municipal infrastructure needs:
transportation, rural communities, research,
social housing, education, environment,
culture and health care.
Economic Stimulus
W hile Ontario has taken signif icant
steps to obviate the infrastructure crisis,
more support is needed.
The FCM and others urged the federal
government to considerably increase its
infrastructure investment as part of the
economic stimulus in the 2009 federal budget.
These groups argued investment of every billion
dollars would create between 11,000 and
12,000 jobs, with approximately half directly in
the construction industry. The resulting income,
sales taxes and other savings would return
between $350 and $400 million to the federal
and provincial/territorial governments as well as
favourably assist local economies and
environment amelioration programs.
The Federation also argued infrastructure
must be significantly ameliorated over the next
15 to 20 years to avoid seriously impacting
Canada’s productiv it y, internationa l
competitiveness and the overall quality of life.
This would require an investment of
approximately $20 to $25 billion annually.
Although this year’s budget included a $40

billion economic stimulus, the provision for
infrastructure in cities is only $4 billion over two
years. For this reason, it is essential all levels of
government increase investments in
infrastructure renewal and, if needed, involve
the private sector through investments.
A National Infrastructure Policy
Based on an evaluation of existing infrastructure
conditions and management, several
orga n iz at ions a nd ind iv idua ls have
recommended adoption of a national
infrastructure policy to provide a framework to
deal with all infrastructure-related issues in
Canada. If adopted, all levels of government
should be required to acknowledge the
prevailinginfrastructurecrisis,theaccompanying
deficit to suitably upgrade existing deteriorated
assets and the need for new infrastructure. The
policy should be based on rationally established
national priorities and provide sustainable
funding for new infrastructure as well as the
maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of
existing deteriorating assets.
In addition, there needs to be a profound
change in the current philosophy of designing
and building infrastructure assets. Currently,
great emphasis is placed on initial construction
costs, with little consideration given to the
system or facility’s future performance and
lifecycle costs.
These are, in turn, dependent on fulfillment
of the minimum performance limit for each
infrastructure asset as well as the development
and implementation of appropriate maintenance
programs to combat the local effects of the
microclimate in the immediate vicinity of the
various asset components over the entire
lifecycle. The policy must arrange for routine
maintenance. This is essential to ensure the
quality and performance of the asset is never
deferred for any reason, whatsoever.
M. Saeed Mirza, PhD, P.Eng., is emeritus
professor of civil engineering at McGill
University, specializing in structural engineering
and rehabilitation of infrastructure. Cristian
Sipos is a PhD candidate in civil engineering at
McGill University.
May 2009 21

Green Building

Greener Pastures
Innovations in sustainable building products
By Rodney Wilts

C

Canada’s design and construction industry is
witnessing the emergence of a green
building-related manufacturing sector, one
that is rapidly maturing. The continuing
exponential growth in LEED registered and
certif ied projects has proven to many
entrepreneurs and existing manufacturers
that there is a market for “green.”
Over the past year, a number of trends have
emerged. Monitoring and measuring tools have
become increasingly sophisticated yet are much
more user friendly. Designers are finding new
ways to incorporate natural elements on roofs,
walls and ceilings. And renewable energy
continues to incrementally improve in both
efficiency and affordability. Water conservation
is another emerging trend fuelled by
organizations that are aiming to demonstrate
responsible stewardship of the world’s most
valuable resource.
Here are the most innovative “green”
products in these four trending areas.
Better Tools for Measuring, Monitoring
Lucid Designs provides a real time dashboard
that can be accessed over the Internet. This
dashboard tells building owners and occupants
energy use, water consumption, greenhouse gas
emissions, renewable energy generation and
more all in real time. Occupants can view
historical data to look for trends and even
compare against similar facilities elsewhere.
This technology is proving to be especially
beneficial for universities and colleges, which
can use the monitoring dashboards as a teaching
tool and to continually improve their buildings
environmental performance.
Going Natural
For years, the natural building world and the
world of high-performance green buildings
were separate and distinct. But today, these
worlds are starting to come together as
manufacturers incorporate natural elements
into building materials.
American Clay’s original earth plaster allows
for relatively easy application compared to
conventional plaster and contains no VOCs
(volatile organic compounds). Additionally, the
natural plaster is made from recycled and
reclaimed aggregates.
Then there are living walls, which are helping
bring nature back into indoor environments.
Also known as biowalls or vertical gardens,
these green façades have grown in popularity in
recent years and can be found across the country
at, for instance, the Vancouver Aquarium,
Queen’s University, the University of GuelphHumber and the new Canada Line station at

22 Building Strategies

With last year’s spike in oil prices, Canada
saw the next generation of renewable
energy technologies being piloted, one of
which was showcased at the 2008
Summer Olympic Games.
Vancouver International Airport. Canadianbased Elevated Landscape Technologies (ELT)
Inc. is now offering economical living walls.
Available in a wide range of sizes, these modular
pre-grown walls can be used to green both
vertical and steep slopes inside and out.
The Next Generation of Renewables
With last year’s spike in oil prices, Canada saw
the next generation of renewable energy
technologies being piloted, one of which was
showcased at the 2008 Summer Olympic
Games. Mounted on the roof of one of the
central buildings in the Beijing Olympic Village
is one of the world’s first, commercially viable
photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) hybrid solar
systems. SolarWall by Conserval Engineering
Inc. produces electricity and heat from the same
surface area, generating 200 to 300 per cent
more energy than a conventional PV unit. It
combines air heating technology with
photovoltaics to create a total energy solution in
which the payback period is reduced and the
carbon dioxide displacement is maximized. As
an added benefit, the panel acts as a racking
system to the PV, removing the heat and
channelling it into the facility’s traditional
heating system making it more efficient than a
stand-alone unit.
Water is the New Carbon
Concern about global climate change has
placed carbon emissions mitigation at the
forefront of designers and developers’ minds.
However, builders are increasingly recognizing
the global water shortage, contamination of

watersheds and the ancillary effects from water
purification — in particular, energy and
chemical use — require equal attention.
Two technologies demonstrate significant
potable water reduction is possible — the Brac
Greywater Recycling System and the Sloan
Ecos hands-free dual flush toilet.
Greywater recycling — whereby water from
dish washing, laundry and bathing is filtered
and cleaned for re-use in toilets and irrigation
— is not a new concept; however, Brac has
finally made it accessible in Canada by offering
very inexpensive technology to do the job.
Starting under $2,000 for small homes and
condominiums, the Brac system will save
approximately one-third of total water usage for
a typical home.
Sloan has also put a new twist on a proven
technology. Long been the norm in places like
Australia, dual-flush toilets are gaining ground
in the North American marketplace. And
Sloan is the first to offer a hands-free model for
commercial use that can sense whether a full or
half flush is required. Importantly, Sloan’s dualflush electronic flushometer is an easy retrofit for
existing toilets.
Rodney Wilts, LLB, LEED AP, is a partner in
BuildGreen Solutions, a Windmill company.
BuildGreen works on some of the most innovative
green projects across the country offering
consulting services and solutions that are
sensitive to local ecosystems, responsive to
community needs, use local resources and
promote the local economy. Contact Rodney at
rodneywilts@sympatico.ca.

Publisher’s Pick

Eco Insulating Glass Inc.’s insulating glass windows with heat mirror are specifically
suited for sustainable buildings. Offering design freedom, this product saves more
energy at a lower total cost than any other low-emissivity insulating glass on the
market. It also offers the highest R values (up to R-20), the most ultra-violet protection
(up to 99.5 per cent) and contributes significantly to LEED points.

Green Building

Designing
for Adaptability
By Klaas Rodenburg

A

As the demand for sustainable structures
increases, designers, builders and developers
need to ensure buildings use resources
efficiently.
In Canada, the building industry represents
12 per cent of the gross domestic product and
maintains more than $5-trillion in assets.
Buildings are also responsible for more than 30
per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.
Constructing buildings that are durable,
adaptable and easy to disassemble will result in
improved environmental performance by
reducing the impacts of the extraction,
processing and transportation of materials used
to construct them.
Often, buildings are thought of as permanent
and static. They are designed, financed,
constructed, maintained and taxed not to
change. Yet from first drawing to final
demolition, buildings are constantly adapting to
the changing needs of occupants and new
technologies. Those that are too rigid to adapt
will be replaced at great economic and
environmental costs.
With a little extra care, time and investment
at the beginning of a building project, designers
can reduce a building’s environmental footprint
allowing owners to reap financial benefits
throughout its lifecycle.
Materials used to construct a building represent the direct non-renewable energy consumed
in transporting them and the energy used during construction. In addition, they reflect the
indirect energies resulting from harvesting,
processing and manufacturing raw materials
and the maintenance, repair, refurbishment and
replacement of materials throughout the lifecycle of the building. The use of these materials
results in resource depletion, environmental
degradation, reduction of biodiversity and
greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, it is
imperative to choose materials wisely.

Photos courtesy Stantec Architecture

By using an integrated sustainable design
approach, designers can reduce the environmental impact of a building’s structure. Ultimately, the most environmentally preferable
building is the one never built. Accordingly, the
first step in any planning process is for the
owner to determine whether it really needs a
new building or if an adaptation of existing
space will meet functional requirements.
If new space is required, the next step is to
explore the reuse of an existing building by
adapting it to the owner’s needs. Abandoned
warehouses are often turned into unique spaces.
For example, Stantec’s Spadina Avenue
office in Toronto (pictured above) adapted the
original retail entrance to the MacGregor
Sock Factory into a vibrant office environment. Originally constructed in 1905, the
timber post and beam building offered the
perfect opportunity to reclaim, transform and
recycle this property. The open studio environment features a low profile, open and flexible layout that maximizes daylight. A raised
floor system offers under-floor air, power and
data distribution, exposing the beautiful
brick and wood structure to emphasize the
industrial heritage of the building.
If a new building is required, it should be
designed with durability and adaptability in
mind. Although exact numbers vary based on
the type of building and geographic location, up
to three-quarters of a building’s initial embodied energy is found equally in the structure,
envelope and services. Ensuring these elements
are durable makes enormous environmental
and financial sense.
At the same time, designers want to ensure a
building expected to last upwards of 100 years is
flexible enough to adapt to new uses and space
configurations with minimum downtime, need
for construction trades or specialists, costs or
waste of resources.

With this idea in mind, the Mazankowski
Alberta Heart Institute in Edmonton was
built on top of an existing emergency centre
to reduce its physical footprint. The six-story
cardiac care facility includes flexible space to
accommodate advancing cardiac care practice.
To respond to the continually changing
technology used within operating rooms,
interstitial spaces are provided between floors
to allow maintenance staff to change HVAC,
medical gas, electrical and other services
quickly and with minimal disruption to
patient care and hospital operations.
Whether building a new facility or adapting
an existing one, care should be taken to select
materials that can be easily recycled and
designed with disassembly in mind, so their
constituent parts can be reused or recycled with
minimal effort. Opt for independence of
materials that have an inherent finish, for
instance, and use mechanical fasteners rather
than glue. Expose connections where possible
and plan for easy access to allow for disassembly
with minimal damage to adjacent assemblies.
Designing and constructing buildings with
longevity and flexibility in mind is good for the
environment, healthy for the occupant and
beneficial financially for the developer and
owner. All it takes is a creative integrated design
team, a progressive developer and a public that
demands environmentally preferable and
healthy buildings.
Klaas Rodenburg, BA, CET, LEED AP, is the
sustainable design coordinator for the design
firm, Stantec. Klaas has more than 30 years of
experience in the building design industry and is
responsible for developing the multi-disciplined
integrated design processes for Stantec’s
sustainable solutions team. He is currently the
chair of the Alberta chapter of the Canada Green
Building Council.
May 2009 23

Insurance & Bonding

Why
Bond?
By David Kubbinga

As a heavily
detailed and often
misunderstood part of the
construction business, the question
often arises: Why bond?
The benefits of bonding contracts
are numerous for both project
owners and contractors, ranging
from meeting security requirements
to freeing up capital.
First and foremost, contract bonds
provide peace of mind to contractors by
allowing them to meet contract security
requirements. Additionally, contract
bonding is an accreditation — when a surety
company issues a bond it reflects the skills
and capabilities of the contractor as well as
the financial health of the operation. This
provides the project owner an overall
assessment and recommendation of the
contracting firm.
For contractors, contracts can require
substantial financial security from the
tendering stage through to completion and
even beyond, tying up funds for long periods
of time. A contract bond secures the contract
and leaves funds available for the contractor
to use more effectively. This is especially
important as it allows the contractor to
submit bids for multiple projects, letting it
get on with the next project without having
to wait for the release of tender security.
Many contractors have come to look at
surety providers as a business partner,
providing an ongoing source of information
24 Building Strategies

to help establish and maintain a
business plan. The surety provider
assists in the selection of appropriate
contracts and considers the overall fit of
the work to the general operation of the
company. It also helps maintain the
c o n t r a c t o r ’s c o n s i s t e n t a p p r o a c h ,
highlighting its strengths and capabilities,
targeting areas of improvement and
reinforcing a l l a reas of operat ions.
Furthermore, a bond facility helps assess
potential contracts, which may lead to an
expansion of the contractor’s f ield of
expertise or territory.
By assisting in the pre-selection of
contractors best suited to the nature of a
project, a bonded contract helps level the
tendering playing field. It assists with the
pre-qualification of contractors. This benefits
the contractor as it can now compete against
others that are equally suited for the project.
The project’s owner can then be confident it
is seeing qualified contractors.
Contractors that provide bonds have a
partner willing to vouch for its ability to
perform its contractual obligations. It
demonstrates a company is willing to stake a
financial risk in the contractor’s ability to
perform — quite the advantage in a
competitive marketplace.
For a project owner, the contract bond
process is as much a pre-qualification
process as it is a source of f inancial
s e c u r i t y. K n o w i n g p a r t i c i p a t i n g
contractors have gone through a screening
process by t he su ret y compa ny ca n
substa nt ia l ly reduce t he nu mber of
tenders considered. The surety provider
w il l rev iew the requirements of the
project and match them up against the
capabilities of the contract partners.
Ultimately, the surety company is willing
to take a financial risk on the contractor’s
ability to complete the project.
Additionally, owners can rest assure the

bonded contractor is not only qualified but
properly resourced. A bonded contractor is
less likely to overextend resources on other
work that, at some point, may impede its
ability to perform the contract. With the
proper bonding in place, the project owner is
better protected in cases when a contractor
has failed to complete the contract, resulting
in cost increases to finish the project.
Lending institutions value the benefits
that accompany a bonded contract and often
make it a requirement.
As with the project owner, general
contractors use bonding requirements as
a means to qualify subtrades for contracts;
all aspects of surety pre-qualification can
be applied to the subtrade fields as well.
Subt rades enter ing into cont rac ts
supported by contract bonds between the
owner and general contractor will be
comforted knowing contract funds are
protec ted w it h a rel iable sou rce of
alternate funding.
Bonding benefits all parties, providing
peace of mind for all involved. Contractors
gain a business partner that is willing to
share financial risk. Project owners get a
pre-qualif ication process and f inancial
assurances. General contractors receive a
pre-qualif ication of subtrades and, in
t u r n , subt r ade s a nd suppl ier s g a i n
financial assurance. There is simply no
other form of contract security that works
as hard as a bond does for all parties in
the construction industry.
David Kubbinga is a senior surety specialist at Aviva
Surety and has more than 20 years of expertise,
specializing in both the contract and commercial
surety business. Aviva Surety offers a complete
range of contract bonds for the construction
industry as well as commercial bonds for individuals,
businesses and organizations. Contact David at
416.228.2498, toll-free 1.800.363.6330 or
david_kubbinga@avivacanada.com.

How do you reduce
your construction risk?
Contractor pre-qualification and
accreditation
Placing a high importance on
contractor selection
A trusted guarantee that provides
you with financial security of job
performance
Find a solution that does all of the above
Your goal – the successful completion of the project. Your solution – a surety bond, the best
tool on the job to immediately reduce your organization’s construction risk.
At Aviva Surety, we have an in-depth knowledge of what makes our contractors successful. We
carefully evaluate the overall quality of our client’s business, and assess how each contractor
uses its resources, skills and experience to be competitive in today’s construction market. Only
when we are confident that our client is capable of performing a project successfully, do we
issue an Aviva Surety bond.
Reduce the risk of experiencing project performance problems. Find out how surety bonds
can benefit your construction project by contacting Aviva Surety, Canada’s most trusted and
valued surety advisor.

www.avivasurety.com
Toronto • (416) 228-2492

Insurance & Bonding

Builders Risk
Insurance
I
By Jackie Wedley

In today’s savvy construction market the
buzz words, “owner controlled insurance
program,” whereby the ultimate end owner
of the building purchases builders risk
insurance, and “contractor controlled
insurance program,” which has the general
contractor procuring insurance coverage,
are often heard.
While who should be in control of the
policy and subsequent claim (should it arise
during or after construction) is an argument
in itself, the most important thing is to make
sure proper coverage is purchased.
Additionally, it is essential both parties
request a review of coverage and wording
via an insurance broker before the project
starts. This will allow each party to make
w ord i n g c h a n g e s to t he i n s u r a nc e
program. After coverage is already “in
force,” change requirements are ver y
difficult to make and often over-charged

or refused by insurance companies.
W hen purchasing builders risk
insurance and wrap-up liability coverage,
it is important to understand the nuances
between various insurers wordings as
well as what extensions are needed to
ensure protection during a loss. While a
broker may have years of general insurance
experience, a specialist in this area can
arrange for the best value for a company’s
dollar.
Another common argument in today’s
construction market is: Should the liability
be covered under the individual contractor’s
insurance policies or a project specific
wrap-up liability policy?
With an individual contractor’s liability
policy:
Each contractor must arrange for its own
coverage resulting in inconsistent coverage,
sub-limits and gaps.
The annual aggregate
liability limit applies to
e a c h c o nt r a c t o r ’s
operations.
T he policy excludes
damage to each
contractor’s own work
after completion.
S ma l l cont rac tor s
usua l ly ca r r y low
liability limits.
T here are sma ller
deductibles.
A d m in ist rat ion is
extensive in requesting
certificates, reviewing
e a c h c o nt r a c t o r ’s
coverage and obtaining
renewal certif icates
throughout the project
and into the completed
operations stage.
Claims hand ling
administration are also
extensive due to dealing
with several insurance
companies.
A large claim will affect
the contractor’s general
insurance rates in the
future.
Disputes often occur
between the various
interests in the event of
a claim.

26 Building Strategies

It is more costly. While premiums are buried

in the contractor’s bid, various subcontractor
liability rates are much higher than wrap-up
coverage.
With a wrap-up liability policy:
There is consistent coverage for owners and
contractors, broader coverage and higher
limits.
Aggregate is dedicated to the project and can
only be exhausted during completed
operations.
The policy excludes damage to each
contractor’s work during construction but not
during the completed operations period.
The liability limit can be purchased as high as
the owner requires.
There are larger deductibles or self-insured
retention limits.
Administration is minimal.
The claims handling process is much
smoother when dealing with just one
insurance company.
A large claim isolates each contractor from its
own general insurance rates because the
policy is project specific.
There are minimal disputes during a claim
due to having a single insurer.
The insurance premium costs are lower
because the policy is project specific.
When purchasing wrap-up liability coverage,
make sure the policy has an additional extension
clause to protect against loss after construction.
Since problems with a project are often not
revealed until a year or two after completion, the
completed operations portion of the policy
should extend at least 24 months after final
completion. It is also prudent to negotiate
extensions to the term of the policy should the
project be delayed. These terms can be
negotiated in advance of such an event. Some
insurers will even offer extensions for a specific
amount of time at no additional charge. Having
these terms arranged in advance can save
thousands of dollars.

Jackie Wedley, vice-president and associate, BFL
Canada, has been in the commercial insurance
business for more than 25 years. She is also an
owner in BFL Canada Risk and Insurance Services
Inc. BFL is the largest independently owned
commercial insurance broker in Canada with offices
in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax,
Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria. Contact Jackie at
416.599.5530, toll-free 1.800.668.5901 or
jwedley@BFLCanada.ca.

Concrete

Self-Consolidating
Concrete
S
By Nat Morlando

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is not the
concrete used by past generations. This modern
concrete technology has a high viscosity and
consolidates on its own, providing a superior
finish and appearance. Additionally, it can do
things “normal” concrete just can’t while maintaining or improving on the strength and durability of conventional concrete.
Developed in the mid-1980s, this emerging
class of concrete is a mixture of high-quality
cement, minerals, aggregates and admixtures,
allowing high flowability without segregation
of the constituents. SCC can be made to meet
any strength requirements and can be used in a
variety of applications, including pre-cast or
pre-stressed concrete, construction of cast-inplace reinforced concrete structures and repair
of the nation’s concrete infrastructure.
In architectural applications, SCC increases
design flexibility and improves the finish of
exposed concrete. Complete consolidation can
be assured even in thin-walled, highly reinforced units.
In vertical applications, SCC allows for more
flexible construction because it can be placed in

restricted or hard to reach areas. It can also pass
freely through narrow openings and in congested reinforcement.
In flatwork or horizontal applications, SCC
exhibits a high level of workability without segregation. Surfaces can be placed and finished
using minimal labour. Depending on the surface treatment, finishing operations can be virtually eliminated.
Still considered new to the construction industry, SCC is gaining ground. Benefits include:
Conservation of time and labour costs positively impacting the schedule and budget.
Generally, SCC is more expensive than conventional concrete. However, because it can
be placed at a faster rate, it saves contractors
money in the long-run.
A competitive advantage. Because of the
reduced labour requirement, some contractors may be able to take on more projects at
one time.
No need for mechanical vibration to reach
the desired compaction and strength. Rather,
SCC achieves compaction by means of its
own weight.

Reduction or elimination of mechanical

vibration means projects can potentially
increase construction hours in areas with
noise bylaws.
Increased jobsite safety by reducing the force
needed to move SCC and compact it.
A more uniform surface finish with little to
no remedial surface work.
Assured contact between concrete and steel
reinforcement. Proper water-cement ratios
are more easily maintained since there is no
need to add water to increase flowabilty.
However, because of SCC’s high flowability,
formwork must be tight to reduce leakage
through openings and be built to support this
highly viscous material. Consequently, using
SCC requires a level of technical expertise
and good raw materials to produce.

Nat Morlando, CTech., is the marketing manager
for Canada Building Materials (CBM) Co., a
division of St. Marys Cement Inc., a leading
manufacturer of cement and related construction
products in Canada and the U.S. Contact Nat at
ntmorlando@vcsmc.com.

The Eagle Ridge project is a 371-acre residential development in
Fort McMurray, Alta. Consisting of seven precast buildings, Phase 1
was modelled entirely using Tekla Structures – a testament to the
true power of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) solution.
Modelling included the hollow core roof and floors, interior loadbearing wall panels, columns, beams, balcony slabs, stairs and landings, temporary bracing, exterior insulated wall panels and elevator
and stair shafts.
The software, which can be used for both simple and complex
structures, provided excellent visualization to all members of the
project team during the development of the structure. Additionally,
the overall speed of detailing precast increased by at least 30 per
cent with reduced manpower; this technology made it possible to
create piece shop drawings (tickets) for simple cloned pieces in five
to 10 minutes whereas complex pieces could take up to 1.5 hours.
The consulting engineer was also able to reduce cross coordination
and checking of drawings. As a result, there were no fit, geometry
or hardware replacement errors reported.
BIM is changing the way business is done in the construction industry. The software provides clients with accurate contract drawings
that can be easily updated if design changes occur. The Tekla 3-D
model can also be utilized in estimating, engineering, production
as well as erection.
To learn more about Tekla Structures, visit www.dowcotech.com.
Dowco Technology Services Ltd. is the official reseller, support and
training provider for Tekla Structures in Canada.
May 2009 27

Concrete

Putting
Rainwater
back where
it Belongs
Pervious concrete in practice
By Sherry Sutherland

W

While pervious concrete has been around for
more than 50 years, it has only recently gained
people’s attention. Today, it is one of the hottest
topics in land development.
Pervious concrete is a performance engineered
material using the components of conventional
Portland cement concrete — coarse aggregate,
cement, water, admixtures and little or no fines
— at a very low slump. These elements combine
to produce a hardened material with connected
pores ranging in size from two to eight
millimetres through which water can easily
pass. The void content varies from 15 to 25 per
cent, with typical compressive strength of 2.5 to
28 MPa (megapascals).
Addressing Environmental Issues
With increased pressure to be “green” while
spending less “green,” owners, architects,
engineers, land developers and others involved
in the built environment are seeking out new
and innovative alternatives.
Existing hardscaping and continuing
development has raised concerns about the
amount of untreated pollutants carried with
runoff into waterways, lakes and rivers. Pervious
concrete is environmentally responsible as it
significantly diminishes these harmful
contaminants from reaching the food chain.
Pervious concrete also diverts the load and
treatment cost of storm water from municipal
water treatment facilities. When used as
pavement in conjunction with an underlying
stone reservoir, pervious concrete can capture
the first flush of rainfall, allowing it to percolate
into the ground where soil chemistry and
biology then “treats” the polluted water
naturally.
Due to current hardscaping practices, the
ambient temperature of storm water running off
dark surfaces has increased. This negatively
affects vegetation, fish and other aquatic life.
Pervious concrete boasts similar environmental
28 Building Strategies

advantages to its conventional counterpart.
For instance, the light coloured surface of a
concrete parking area reflects more light
than its black coloured alternative, providing
a cool surface and reducing energy needed to
light outdoor areas.
Pervious concrete can also contain recycled
material and is manufactured locally. Under the
Canada Green Building Council’s (CaGBC)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) program, using pervious
concrete as a storm water management system
allows for points in the following areas:
Sustainable Sites (SS) Credit 6.1: Storm
Water Management: Rate and Quantity;
Sustainable Sites (SS) Credit 7.1: Heat Island
Effect, Non-Roof;
Materials and Resources (MR) Credit 4:
Recycled Content; and
Materials and Resources (MR) Credit 5:
Regional Materials.

Best Management Practices
As new developments are required to handle
runoff, valuable land resources are often used for
storm water management ponds when they
could be more profitably employed for residential
or commercial development. All water sent back
to city facilities costs money to treat. With

growing municipalities, this price only increases.
If more water is directed back to the soil, less
pressure is placed on the municipal system.
As owners, architects, land developers and
concrete professionals become more familiar
with pervious concrete’s benefits, interest will
continue to grow.
It is important to note pervious concrete
behaves and is constructed differently than
conventional concrete. With this in mind,
contractors, consultants, concrete producers and
those working in a supervisory capacity during
concrete placement should be certified by the
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association’s
pervious concrete contractor certification
program to ensure quality placement. It is also
recommended current pervious concrete
specifications be followed.
Sherry Sutherland, M.Sc., P.Eng., is a technical
engineer with the Ready Mixed Concrete Association
of Ontario (RMCAO). Prior to joining the RMCAO,
Sherry was a technical services representative for
St. Mary’s Cement, where she gained extensive
experience in the cement and concrete industries.
She is the current president of the American
Concrete Institute’s Ontario chapter. Contact Sherry
at ssutherland@rmcao.org.

Enterprising Canadians

Natural
Born Leader

Introducing Stantec's new president and CEO, Robert Gomes
By Clare Tattersall

B

Born and raised in Edmonton where the “Great
One” honed his skills to become the most
dominant hockey player of his generation,
Robert (Bob) Gomes never imagined he too
would one day be at the top of his game. But
after more than 20 years with one of North
America’s largest engineering, architecture and
design firms, that is exactly where he’ll be in a
few days time.
“I’ve had many opportunities in my years
with Stantec and this is one I just couldn’t pass
up,” says Gomes, 54, as he prepares to take over
the billion dollar firm’s reigns from current
president and CEO, Tony Franceschini.
However, the decision to throw his name into
the ring — 10 of the company’s senior vicepresidents were considered for the prestigious
position — wasn’t taken lightly.
“I had just assumed a new position
when Tony asked me where I saw myself
in the future and if I’d ever considered
the role of CEO,” recalls Gomes. “At that
time I just didn’t know. So I spent a few
months soul searching and the more I
thought about it, the more excited I got.”
Full of enthusiasm and passion — a trait
inherited from his soon to be predecessor
— Gomes has spent the last eight months
shadowing Franceschini, learning the ‘ins’
and ‘outs’ of this very visible position, which
comes w ith a whole host of added
responsibilities. For many, the transition
would be overwhelming but having served
in a multitude of managerial roles and
consistent ly demonst rated st rateg ic
leadership, this seasoned member of the
Stantec executive team says it has been
relatively smooth and orderly. However, he
does anticipate some bumps along the way.
“The exciting part is no matter what you
expect, you get the unexpected.”
This is also one of the draws of the
engineering profession, which lured Gomes to
the field.
Originally pre-med at the University of
Alberta, Gomes transferred into the
engineering program after just one year.
“It wasn’t that medicine was too hard,” he
explains. “I just didn’t like inorganic chemistry,
so I figured I better get into a science that
doesn’t rely upon it.”
After graduating in 1978 with a degree in
civil engineering, Gomes joined a small

30 Building Strategies

consulting engineering firm that Stantec
(formerly known as the Stanley Group of
Companies) bought out 10 years later.
“Ironically, I left that firm to come here,” he
says. “At that time, Stanley was known as a
municipal engineering firm but Tony had a
vision that the company should branch out into
land development.”
W h ich, hav ing spent a decade at
Walker Newby & Associates Ltd., was
Gomes’ area of expertise.
So, in 1988, on the encouragement of
Franceschini, Gomes joined the already
established firm as a project manager.
Three years later, he was appointed
pr incipa l eng ineer in-cha rge of t he
Edmonton off ice and, in 1998, was
named vice-president of the Edmonton
urban land group, which he led to become
the largest and most successful land
development firm in the city.
“We still do 75 to 80 per cent of the
work,” he says with great pride.
Gomes has also been successful in other
areas of the organization. In 1999, he was
appointed vice-president of Alberta North,
Stantec’s largest region. Overseeing a staff of
500, he was responsible for overseeing all
activities in the Edmonton off ice and

northern A lberta, including building
engineering, architecture, surveying and
environmental sciences.
“We grew that group to 1,000 people, which
is what we are today,” he notes.
Then, four years ago in 2005, Gomes was
given the role of senior vice-president for the
industrial and project management group. By
the end of 2007, he had more than doubled the
group’s revenues and tripled the staff. Today, it
is one of the fastest growing practice areas
within the firm.
“The strength of Stantec is building up the
company’s capabilities in a number of different
practice areas,” says Gomes who, like Wayne
Gretzky, has the ability to recognize
opportunities to the benefit of his team.
“Diversification allows the firm to ride through
economic storms because we’re not reliant on
any one area of the economy.”
Though diversification (by sector and
geographic location) is key — especially in
today’s uncertain economic climate — so too is
consolidation of services.
“More and more, clients are looking for
companies to provide them with a full range of
services through an integrated delivery system.”
Something Stantec has achieved through
organic and inorganic growth.
Under Franceschini, who led the firm
through its more dramatic stretch of
expansion, Stantec acquired more than 50
companies in approximately 10 years — the
most recent being Jacques Whitford, an
environmental consulting services firm with
more than 1,700 employees and 40 offices
principally in Canada — resulting in the
opening of several new offices in Canada,
the U.S. and the Caribbean.
“It’s going to be a challenge to continue that
growth, especially when you get as large as we
are, but there are opportunities across North
America and even internationally,” notes
Gomes, adding the firm now employs well
over 10,000 people compared to 1,500 when
Franceschini first stepped into the role of
CEO. “The key will be to continuously get our
name out there.”
Something Gomes takes to heart as he
plans on being on a plane every week.
“It’s time for Stantec to step outside Canada
and let people know we are a North American
firm — soon to be an international one.”

EVERY BUILDING
CAN BE GREEN

The 2009 National Summit - EVERY BUILDING CAN BE GREEN, hosted by the Canada Green
Building Council, is the premier industry event for green building in Canada. After its successful
inaugural summit last year, the CaGBC, expects more than 1,000 delegates, 150 exhibitors, 40
speakers and panelists, and dozens of journalists to attend – experts who are helping to
advocate and shape the direction of green building in Canada.

Engage.

EVERY BUILDING
CAN BE GREEN

Impact our
sustainable future.
Learn about new rating systems including
LEED® Canada for Existing Buildings:
Operations and Maintenance, and LEED
Canada for Homes, as well as the next
generation LEED Canada for New Construction.
Learn more about the progress being made
with the development of the Green Building
Performance System, a national database of
benchmarks on energy efficiency, water use
and GHG emissions for buildings of every type.
Find out about the role building owners and
managers can play in shaping future green
building tools and systems, by participating in
CaGBC pilot programs.
Education Sessions…reserve a front row seat
and learn from the industry experts.

Gain insights into the economic, corporate
responsibility, marketing, risk mitigation and
occupant health opportunities of green
buildings and sustainability. And come away
with solutions that respond to the challenges
of the current marketplace.
Participate in this dynamic national forum, and
reinforce your organization’s place as a leader
in social and environmental stewardship.
Align and network face-to-face with your green
building peers.
This year, exhibitors will enjoy the spotlight,
with each afternoon of our summit being
dedicated to the new technologies, products
and solutions featured on the tradeshow floor.

Experience the beauty and culture of Montreal,one of Canada’s most exciting and historical cities.

Register online at cagbc.org
For more information call: 613-241-1184 or 1-866-941-1184
summitinfo@cagbc.org